Retaining wall structure



June 30, 1931. J. A. OURSLER RETAINING WALL STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 29,1927 Patented June I 30, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES A.OUBSLER, OF STEUBENVILLE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE OURSLER,OF CINCINNATI, OHIO RETAINING WALL STRUCTURE Application filed November29, 1927. Serial No. 236,535.

'This invention relates to a retaining wall structure and has for itsobject the provision of a retaining structure which is self-anchoringand which furthermore relieves the material of the structure of earthpressure.

Another object is to provide a device of this kind which is simple ofconstruction and which is exceptionally eflicient in that in the eventof a land slide which would bury and completely cover the retainingstructure, the structure itself would be neither displaced nor damagedso that the mere clearing away of the'earth and debris will again placethe adjoining property to be protected in good condition withoutentailing the expense of 7 building anew retaining wall.

spective view, partly in cross section and These and other objects areattained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

The figure represents a fragmental perpartly broken away of a retainingwall in an operative position. i

In practicing the hereinafter described invention a hillside 1 to besupported to prevent sliding onto an adjacent highway 2 is excavatedslightly at a suitable distance from its base to strike a shale or stonestratum 3. The natural stratum 3 is used as a foundation for the base ofa suitable trench 4.

Below the level of the highway 2 a second trench 5 is constructed forreceiving the base of the reinforcing structure. The trenches 4: and 5therefore extend in parallelism and are disposed at difierentelevations. The space between the trenches 1 and 5 is then cleared ofdirt and soil which is replaced with rock ballast 6 retained, ifnecessary by a suitable vertical form, not shown, so that ingapproximately 20 degrees from the horizontal. A suitable form work isused to extend in spaced parallelism with the upright bars 9 and bentover portions 11 and the entire form filled with concrete to form areinforced vertical wall 12 with an integral in clined slab 13terminating in a longitudinal concrete beam 14 formed in the trench 4.The dimensions of the wall will be proportional to the estimated loadwhich they would have to support in the event of a land slide.

It will be noted that the trench 5 provides base extensions 15 and 16 ofconcrete at the bottom of vertical wall 12. The extension 15 may becovered and additionally anchored by extending the highway road bed overit. The angle of the slab portion 13 is such that the weight of earthwhich it supports produces a vertical downward thrust thereon. The bodyof the slab is supported by the loose rock ballast, and at its innermostedge is anchored upon the firm natural stone or shale of the hillsidewhich will not slide. The outermost end is supported upon the verticalwall 12. Inasmuch as the pressure of the weight of earth above cannotexert a tipping force upon the wall, said wall and slab structure, eventhough of apparently scanty dimension will successfully withstand anyland slide without being broken or dis placed. In the event of anextremely heavy land slide such as may occur in terrific storms, thevolume of moving earth may be such as to fiow over the edge 17 of thewall and possibly bury the wall. This would have no damaging effect uponthe firmly anchored retaining structure which continues in service afterclearing away the over flow of earth and dbris.

It will be understood that the width of the slab 13 between the forwardedge 17 and the rear of the trench 4: and the height of the wall 12 fromthe trench 5 to the top edge 17 will be governed by the factors oflocation of a firm rock or shale foundation for the beam 14 and theestimated possible amount of landslide to be governed. In all suchconstructions however the angle of approximately 20 degrees ismaintained between the slab 13 and wall 12 so that the retainingstructure cannot be wedged outwardly and displaced or tipped over ontothe highway or joining property. In most localities wherein suchstructures are required, the ballast material 6 is found in abundance inthe hillsides to be retained. is preferably located with its inner wallat the base of the existing grade so that .the.

amount of excavation necessary'for the 'erec @1011 of the retainingstructure 1s cemparatively small. After the retaining structure iscomplete the falling earth will establish a. new grade of lesserdeclivity upon the top of the slab 13 whereupon the earth slippage willfore used retaining structures seldom withstand the combined effects ofthe elements for more than twoyears, and frequentlyrequire completeremoval and rebuild ng after heavy storms and washouts. The structure ofthis invention on theother hand ispr'actically permanent, since theweight of 'ad- 'ditional land slides serves to anchor'it more firmly inposition.

hat is claimedis: I 1. In a retaining structure'for hillsides and thelike co n-prising a vertical reinfdrced concrete wall havin at its topan integral reinforced slab portion extending into-thehill side andanchored therein, the slab-portion of the structure being downwardlyinclined to ward the hillside at such angle as todirect weight thereoninto a downward [pressure which serves to 'anclior'the structure morefirmly in position, the reinforced slab eX- The wall 152 the hillside tobe retained, and ballast disposed in and filling the space betweenthebase and anchored edge of the structure, the reinforced slab extendinguninterrupted'ly throughout the length of the vertical wall.

4. A retaining structure comprisinga vertical Wall and an integral slabextending from the top thereof at an angle of substantially 7 O degrees,the slab extending the en tire length ofthe verticalwa-ll.

'5. An earth retaining structure comprising a reinforced concretevertical wall having a T-shaped base and an integral slab inclinedfromthetop of the Wall and terminating in an enlarged beam paralleltherewith, the reinforcing: members of said structure extending fromsaid beam through the slaband wall intothe base, the. slab extending,the entire length ofthe vertical wall 6. A retaining wall for a hillsidecompris a. vertical wall and an integral uninterrupted fiangecoextensive with the'jverti-cal Wall, inclined thereto at an angleofabout'll) degrees and means for anchorin'g'the; edge-of the flange inthe hillside at: an. elevation: frcrn the base of the vertical wall. 7.A retaining structure fora hillside prising a ofintegral uninterruptedwall inembersfinclined from. one: another at suib stantiallydegrees-wand having the free a,

edges of said walls buried: in the'hi'llsi'dathe space between the wallsbeing filled with ballast comprising substance: ofithe body of thehillside. 1

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed. my name this 21stdaycf; Ne

venibe-r, 1925K; JAMES OURSLER.

tending uninterruptedly throughout the length of the vertical wall.

2; In a retaining wall structure comprising a. vertical concrete wallenlargedat its base, horizontal reinforcing members in the enlarged baseand wall, transverse reinforcing members anchored about the verticalmembers and downwardly inclined from the top of the wall, and anintegral concrete slab having the turned portion of the reinforcingmembers embedded therein extending into the hillside, the reinforcedslabextending uninterruptedly throughout thejlength-of the I verticalwall. 7

' 3. A retaining wall structurecomprising a reinforced concreteconstruction having an inverted substantially J-sh'aped cross section,the base of said structure being disposed at the base of a hillside, andthe opposite end thereof being anchored in a'solid portion of

